Monday, December 19, 2011

Mercosur foreign ministers meet in Uruguay

Mercosur Foreign Ministers met in Montevideo, Uruguay on Monday ahead of Tuesday's summit of Mercosur heads of state, where Argentina will be appointed to the bloc's temporary presidency for the first half of 2012.

Foreign ministers debated the bloc’s situation in view of the world economic crisis, taxes policy for products beyond the Mercosur zone and the full membership of Ecuador, a special request from Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa.

The Venezuelan accession to the bloc is a topic to be discussed during the summit. It was first approved on 2006, but stumbled upon the Paraguayan parliament, dominated by the opposition to President Fernando Lugo.

Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman and his counterparts Antonio Patriota (Brazil), Jorge Lara (Paraguay), Luis Almagro (Uruguay) and Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela) were summoned at Radisson Hotel. The officials will also analyze a Mercosur new draft that will be presented tomorrow.

Foreign ministers debated the bloc’s situation in view of the world economic crisis, taxes policy for products beyond the Mercosur zone and the full membership of Ecuador, a special request from Ecuadorian president Rafael Correa.